T.R.T.B. Appeal for Estate Services
Page 48
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LOCAL bus operators should be given preference when services are needed for new housing estates, it was submitted at a Ministry of Transport inquiry at Middlesbrough last week. The plea was made by the Tees-side Railless Traction Board, who appealed against a decision by the Northern Traffic Commissioners.
Their appeal concerned two new estates in North Yorkshire—Teesville and Redcar Road East. The Commissioners had refused the Board permission to introduce new services there, but had allowed United Automobile Services, Ltd., to divert one bus an hour on an existing route to serve the areas.
For the Board, Mr. E. C. Parr, Middlesbrough Town clerk, said United had taken an interest only after seeing their proposals. As local operators, the
c 10 Board should have priority in looking after local traffic requirements. United were mainly long-distance operators.
The Clerk to Eston Urban District Council suggested that the Commissioners had shown "an alarming confusion 'of thought." They had accepted that there was a considerable growth of population, but decided that it did not justify a new service.
For United, Mr. J. L. R. Croft claimed that a new service by the Board would be wasteful. It was a false and pernicious argument to say that local operators should have .preference—United might be long-distance operators, but these days they could not exist without shortdistance traffic.
The inquiry was closed for a report to be submitted to the Minister.